Keeping Our Catholic Schools Alive!

Keeping Our Catholic Schools Alive!

Our Children, Our Hope:

Let s s Discuss: 1. Why do you send your child to school? 2. Why do you send your child to a Catholic School?

Catholic Is: C - Commitment, Communication, Christ-Centered A - Admirable, Accepting, Apostolic T - Truthful, Thinking, Tireless H - Holistic, Helping, Hands On O - Optimistic, Open, Outgoing L - Long-term, Level Headed, Local I - Involved, Important, Idealistic C - Caring, Compassionate, Clear

So Our Schools Must Be Different!

Catholic Education Is... a process through which the community of the school, the home and the church develops within its students a way of living which embodies the life of Jesus Christ.

Our learners will realize the fullness of humanity of which Our Lord Jesus Christ is the model, if the learning process begins at home and is part of family life; is nurtured within the Parish; is anchored in the Catholic Faith; takes place within the context of worship, sacraments and the life of the Church; is enhanced by the school community; (of which parents are apart) is embraced by the learner as a personal responsibility for life (Hamilton Catholic District School Board)

As St. John Chrysostom said: "What is nobler than to mold the character of the young? I consider that he who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all painters, sculptors and all others of that sort.

Families. A Cornerstone

Family: A Ministry of Love The Church has a deeply rooted belief in family Jesus came to atone for original sin by dying on the cross, but he was born into a family Jesus spent 30 years getting family right and only three in fulfilling His role in this world In family, Jesus learnt of his faith, his traditions, his role as son and his obligation to respect and love his parents

FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO By POPE JOHN PAUL II ON THE ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY IN THE MODERN WORLD This document was written after the 1980 international Synod of Bishops Four general tasks of the family, discussed by the synod, are discussed by Pope John Paul II

Four General Tasks of the Family: to form a community of persons; to serve life; to participate in society s development; to share in the life and mission of the Church;

So, Where Does That Leave Us? To understand that the power of family has existed from our very creation To understand that research has identified over and over again the impact of families on individuals and, therefore, on society That family has changed in society and the debate continues on whether or not family breakdown is the cause of many of the issues we face today

Families Influence Children: Study after study identifies that youth see their families as a vital part of their lives Until age 9-129 children take in the world in totality and family has the greatest influence Even teens identify their parents as important influences in their lives Families can do better, but most are doing a good job!

Our Children: Each Belongs Each An Individual

Our Children Have Basic Needs: Physical Emotional Intellectual Stimulation Spiritual well-being

Physical..

Emotional

Wellness In Mind is Modeled.

Intellectual Stimulation

Spiritual Well-being being.

We are called to: Love our children unconditionally Help Our Children Understand The Principles of Faith, Hope and Charity - Young people are questioning and considering the faith issues. They need a safe place to express them, and a positive role model to help them work through these questions.

Our children and youth do not develop their characteristics or their moral strength (or lack of) in isolation. They are influenced by everyone and everything that crosses the paths of their lives. They are however, striving to connect with others, in part to develop their character, especially during adolescents.

We as parents must teach them: God created each of us to be something In being that something, He calls us to be somebody as well We have to help our young learn how to become something and be somebody that reflects God through their character

Who Will Influence Our Children? Whoever spends the most time with them Whoever is willing to share openly with them Whoever is willing to talk and listen to them

Parents. Supporting their Children By Supporting Our Catholic School

Partnerships for Parents: 1. Teachers 2. Principals 3. Board of Trustees 4. Parish 5. Other Parents

All Partners Must: Work to create a common vision on issues and policies that promotes and protects Catholic education Enhance collaboration among the partners in the Catholic educational community.

Together we must ensure: That the unique contribution of Catholic schools is not overlooked That our Catholic schools are animated by Jesus Christ That we stay fully connected to our Catholic Churches

A Discussion on Ontario s Catholic Schools and Their Future (2007) we must promote and protect our Catholic faith traditions as core to our Catholic schools; parent and parish involvement in the Catholic school community are key to strengthening an important resource in Catholic education the triad (home-school school-parish) and; social justice and the response to a call to service are distinctive attributes of Catholic schools that are valued by the community.

there was concern raised around the level of overall vigilance and commitment to protecting the Catholic faith in light of pressures and assaults from single system advocates. To counter this issue it was suggested that the Catholic community focus on effective promotional and defensive strategies. It was further suggested that these strategies should clearly illustrate the distinctiveness of the system to wider audiences and strengthen our position and relationship with Ontario s s political decision makers.

We need to continue to educate the communities about Catholic education and the value of having the two systems. Non- Catholic ratepayers/voters need to know what we are all about so that they are informed and can make positive informed decisions in the event that the question of the existence of our system should be put to a referendum. (LDCSB)

NEXT STEPS (From the Summary Report) 1. How will you personally promote and protect Ontario Catholic education? a. What can be done in your home, at your school, in your parish this year? b. What can be done in your community this year? c. What can be done by the Ontario Catholic education partners this year? 2. How will you personally strengthen the ties between home, school and parish? a. What can your schools do this year? b. What can your families do this year? c. What can your parishes do this year? 3. How will you personally be more authentic and true to your Catholic identity and Catholic faith?

"The greatest gift of Catholic Education is that it provides a faith environment where students can come to know Jesus through all aspects of the curriculum and the liturgical life of the school...faith is something personal but not private. We believe that our faith in Jesus Christ must be proclaimed and put into action. That's an important distinction...we need Catholic schools to be a light...to dispel darkness and to be a symbol of hope...our world needs that hope." Bishop Gerard Bergie, OCSTA AGM and Conference, 2009.

Catholic education has a weighty responsibility to deliver a distinctly different, radical and fundamentally opposed education that is fully permeated with Catholic theology, philosophy and sociology. the transmission of knowledge and skills must be delivered in a Christ-centered vision that permeates everything in the school system from the playground to the lunch room, from math and science to religion classes in the integral formation of the whole student. Excerpt from the ACSTA Catholic Dimension Newsletter

Reflection Questions 1. What can we do to ensure our children a Catholic Education? 2. What are the three most important elements of a Catholic Education? 3. What does each partner need to contribute for this to imparted to our children? 4. Why do we need to work together?

Is it Possible. For our Catholic Education to lose its funding? What would that mean to you; your child; the community? How will we work together to be sure everyone recognizes that, in fact, there is a difference?

As Leo Tolstoy wrote: It is within my power either to serve God or not to serve Him. Serving Him, I add to my own good and the good of the whole world. Not serving Him, I forfeit my own good and deprive the world of that good, which was in my power to create.

Contact Me: Teresa Hartnett 905-528 528-7988 ext. 2250 thartnett@hamiltondiocese.c om